Running Free
by Caprisky
Summary: My name is Primrose Rue Mellark. I am Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark's daughter. I am the spitting image of Katniss, only I have Peeta's big, blue eyes. Everybody says that I must be just like my "amazing" mother. But I'm not. I am nothing like her.***My sister wrote this - so be nice! OR ELSE!***
1. Chapter 1

"Prim! School!" My mother yells up the stairs of our big house. I grab my abnormally heavy brown pack and scurry down the stairs.

"Oh, it's you," Katniss murmurs. Sometimes she forgets that I am Prim, her daughter; not Prim, her sister.

"Where's Dad?" I ask her.

"He's in the bakery."

"Okay, I'm going to be late today, just to let you know."

"Okay, have fun."

She doesn't care. She never has and never will. The only person she really cares about is Prim, not me, Primrose Everdeen. I think she hates me. She did not name me. Peeta, who really understands who I am, named me. My mom doesn't get me. She doesn't get that I think the Hunger Games are wrong. It doesn't matter if they are in the Capitol or the districts. Making kids kill each other is just wrong. Yet, she voted for the Hunger Games in the Capitol. Isn't that what ruined her life?

She doesn't understand what we are doing to the Capitol. Yes, they used to be supportive of the Hunger Games, but they didn't really know what was going on. And know we're making them starve. Isn't that what you used to hate, Katniss? Seeing the thin, boney, hungry people? Well, that is exactly what you are causing.

I walk out the door. If she notices that my pack is heavier than usual, she didn't say. I despise the way she treats me. She treats me like I shouldn't even be here. Like I'm a disgrace to her and my namesake, like she'd rather have her sister back, dying than have a healthy daughter. Like she wishes I just wasn't alive. That's why I'm leaving. That's why I'm running away.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note – Thank you guys for reading and please, please, please review! I would also like some constructive criticism, Thanks!**

**~Runaway Baby's sister**

**Chapter 2**

I make my way to school, pulling my jacket tighter with each icy gust that attempts to knock me off my feet. I enter the dimly lit school building and walk down the hallway to Room 15 – 8th Grade. I have always hated this school and I cannot wait to leave here with the rest of District 12. I push open the door with an extra nudge from my shoulder. As soon is I lay one foot on the floor of that classroom, I enter total mayhem.

A paper airplane zooms by my head and I twist my neck to avoid being crushed by thousands of spitballs. And, of course, Mrs. Hamilton is in her office, clueless. I walk two aisles over and four seats down, swing my pack off, and thunk down into my chair. Mrs. Hamilton scurries out of her office and rushes over to the television that is mandatory to have in each room. She grabs the remote and flicks it on, just to catch the end of the anthem.

A tall, dark man is shown on our screen. President Thomas opens his mouth and begins to speak. I immediately tune out. President Thomas is our newest president elected by all of the citizens, not just the Capitol. I stare out the window and plan my escape from District 12 and my awful mother.

Annalise, who sits next to me, nudges me and whispers, "You may want to listen to this."

"What?" I ask, utterly confused. But she just points at the screen. I glace and all I see is in large letters: District 14-The Victor's Village.

"All of the previous victors of the Hunger Games will be moved to their own district." I hear President Thomas say. "They will be moved at 3:30 tonight with their families. The rest of the citizens will be visiting them and offering gifts, otherwise they will be severely punished."

My heart stops. Gifts? Punished? I stand up so abruptly that I kick my chair over, but ignore that, Annalise's shouts and Mrs. Hamilton's scoldings. I brush past her and bolt out the door. Once I get into the hallway, I run out of the secondary school and into the primary school, which is right next door. I burst into Room 8-3rd Grade.

"Finn!" My voice catches in my throat. He is on the floor, curled up in a ball, rocking back and forth. After we had gotten shown the 74th and 75th Hunger Games. He has never been the same. I bend down next to him and wrap my arms tight around him.

"Finnick, are you okay?" his polite, young teacher asks.

"Look at him! Do you possibly think in any way that he is 'okay'?" I shout in her shocked face. "Not like you would know. You probably have a absolutely perfect life." I regret the words as soon as I say them. She was probably in District 12 when the bombing happened. She may have lost her entire family.

"I'm sorry," I whisper.

"It's okay," she replies. "Why don't you take him home? I'm sure you will have packing to do."

I help him up and we walk out of the classroom hand in hand.

"Rue?" he asks in his most scared voice.

"Yes?" I respond.

"Why do we have to leave?" _Probably to make us more vulnerable so the Capitol can take over again_, I think.

"I don't know Finn. I don't now." I smooth down his golden blond hair and hold him close to me.

When we get home, Katniss is on the couch staring at the black television screen, Dad is next to her. Finn runs to them and buries his face into Katniss's chest. I look at them for the longest time, trying to piece together what is going through the President's mind. Why would he make us leave?


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N – Thank you for reading my story! I hope you enjoy it! If I get more reviews, I will probably continue it sooner. If I don't I will probably write slower. Thanks again!**

**~Runaway Baby's sister**

**Chapter 3**

**** We had packed for a few hours and then we had to go help Haymitch. His house is the same it always is - a mess. It smells like the alcohol that he drinks and it smells badly because he never showers. We have been over there for, maybe, a half an hour, when our family stylist, Leo comes over. He tells us that there will be press at the train station and that we should get "beautified."

"Where is District 14?" I ask.

"It is farther up north than District 13, in what used to be called the state of Maine."

"So it is still kinda like District 12, the forests, I mean."

"Defiantly."

I breathe out a sigh of relief. Maybe I can still run away after getting to know my surroundings. My mother shoots me a confused look. I glare back at her, my eyes full of hatred. Dad glances over at me, making sure I keep my temper in check. I scowl and walk back to our house, where our beauty group waits. Our beauty group is made of Octavia, Flavius, Quinden, and Jesuf. As soon as I get inside, they bombard me with questions and hugs and complements. They lead me upstairs, chattering away. I mutter something about not wanting to get dressed up right now, but it goes unnoticed. They strip me down, and I shiver from the cold and the awkwardness of being naked in front 3 boys. They bath me in so much oil, that I can't get a grip on things, literally.

I get out of the bath, slippery and slimy. They smother me in a tan lotion and a pink concoction for my legs. They lay strips of muslin on my legs and I brace myself for what is happening next. They pull the muslin quick off my leg and I let out a horrific scream as each hair gets torn out of its root. They finish the rest with sorry expressions. Once I was styled, dressed and up to par, my family and I were free to wait for the whole district to bring us gifts and then to leave my one home.

One by one the citizens of District 12 gather at our home. Everyone is there. The Peacekeepers, too. They make sure that everyone is there. They are lucky, though, they don't have to bring us gifts. I am slowly noticing that Panem is becoming more how it used to be before the rebellion. That is so not good.

After a few hours of fake smiles and sincere thanks, our friends show up. Annalise is there with her family and Finn's dearest friend, Kyle.

"Hey," Lise says. "How are you?"

"I'm leaving District 12. Not well." I reply, my voice thick with disgust for the Capitol.

"Why don't we take a walk?" she asks.

"Okay. Just let me ask my parents." I walk over to Dad. There is no way on this universe that I would ask Katniss.

"Dad, can me and Lise go on a walk?" I ask.

"Sure, be back soon." I rejoin Lise and we start off towards the Meadow. I remember playing on it when I was a kid, spinning and twirling with Finn. It has been a graveyard since the bombings. Katniss thinks I don't know, but I do. She has tried to protect me from the horrible Games, but that is pretty hard when they teach you that stuff at school. In our district, Katniss and Dad are heroes. They are our only victors ever, not including Haymitch, besides another girl, but she's long gone.

We reach the Meadow and I stare at the gap in the fence that the district was supposed to fix, but never did.

"You want to go in the forest, don't you?" Lise asks.

"I do, but that doesn't mean I will." I reply.

"Prim, you can go I'll keep watch."

"Okay, we need a signal." I whistle the four-note tune that Rue whistled for my mother in the arena. The tune that meant safety and that we were all right. The mockingjays pick up the tune and playfully call it back and forth.

"Go," she says. I slip my body through the gap. I glance back at Lise one more time, then take off into my one real home: the woods of District 12.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N – Sorry it took so long to update. We had company over. It will probably take long again for the next chapter, too. Anyways, enjoy and review!**

**Chapter 4**

The trees instantly cool the sun on my back. I take the path that leads along my mother's old snare route. She used to take with her old friend, Gale. He lives in District 2. She and Dad don't talk about him much. It's like it's forbidden. I would really like to know more about him. I know I'm probably not going to any hunting. I will have nowhere to take it.

Suddenly, my feet push me through the underbrush. Once the trees clear, I find myself at the old pond that my grandfather, Katniss's dad. It is full of katniss, these little plants that fill the pond. They are edible, too and Katniss's dad used to tell her that if she could find herself then she would always be able to eat. I, myself, was named for her sister who was named for the plant evening primrose. Dad planted that in front of our house. I know about all of these plants from the book that my family wrote in. It contained all of their knowledge of plants and the wilderness. My grandma wrote about all of the herbal or healing plants and my grandpa wrote about all of the edible plants in the nearby forest, Katniss added to that later after the war, but before she and Dad had kids. I studied that under the covers late at night to make sure if the Hunger Games ever started again I would at least know what to eat. I leap into the pond fully clothed. I lay on my back feeling the slight ripples of my splash move me.

After the war, the rebels elected President Paylor. He died 20 years ago. After him, President Thomas was elected to office. He was more like President Snow, who was the president during the times of the 74th and 75th Hunger Games and the war. I think he wants the Hunger Games back, but nobody knows. He remade the Capitol, because it was devastated after the war. He made the Capitol rich again, but the districts only got a little poorer. Not how they used to be. Now everyone is well fed here. I have watched the 74th and 75th Hunger Games, despite my mother's protests. They were brutal, but my favorite part of the 74th was Dad's interview. He confessed his love for Katniss in front of the entire Capitol. I would love to have someone do that for me.

The 75th, the third Quarter Quell, made the victors be reaped again. Mags, an elderly woman from 4, volunteered for Annie Cresta. She went kind of mad after she saw her district partner beheaded. Yet, Finnick Odair still loved her. He was also from 4. He is Finn's namesake. He was Annie's mentor. He didn't love any Capitol girl; he loved a poor, mad girl back home. I think that is amazing. He died, though, in the war. And then Annie gave birth to his child, a little baby girl. Her name: Nixie. She is a couple years older than me; she's beautiful with sea green eyes like Finnick. We are pretty good friends, I call her every once in a while. It's kind of a joke, because only the victors and the mayors have telephone, so there aren't many people to call. I am still on my back when I open my eyes and glance at the sun. It is way to far west. I leap up and dart through the trees, and skirt bushes. Until I reach the fence. Good to her word, Annalise is still there.

"Where have you been?" she hisses.

"Sorry, I think I feel asleep," I mutter back.

"Okay, well let's get out of here."

We rush back into town. Katniss and Dad are there.

"Where have you been?" Katniss shouts.

"Why do you care?" I holler back.

"I'm your mother, do not speak to me in that tone of voice!"

"Prim, are you finished packing?" Dad quietly asks.

"Yes," I reply. "Is Katn-I mean Mom done being the worst mother ever?" I'm really not mad at Katniss, but all of my fury towards the Capitol is making my temper even shorter.

Katniss takes a deep breath.

"The train is here. Let's go." I grab Finn's hand and hug Lise with one arm.

"Write to me, okay?" I ask.

"Okay," she replies and hugs me back. Finn and I walk to Dad and Katniss and wait for the signal to get on the train.

This is it, then, I think. We are leaving District 12.

**A/N – Well, did you like it? If there is anything that you would like to see in the story, leave it in a review or PM me! Thanks!**

**-Runaway Baby's sister**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N – Thank you all of my wonderful reviewers! Especially LiliaSparks! Please review! Sorry it took so long to update, the next chapter will be sooner! Enjoy Chapter 5!**

**Chapter 5**

Once I am on the train, I ask an attendant for a piece of paper and a pencil. He looks at me strange like I had asked for a purple jaguar that could sing opera. Panem had stopped using paper back before the Dark Days. Now we only used holographic images to speak to. Once we say a word, the image writes the word down. We can just talk paragraphs and it will right it all down. Only, right now, I don't want that. I want paper and a pencil. I am a Victor's daughter, so I shout, "Now!" at that stupid person staring at me. He scurries of into another compartment. Katniss comes in the door, where the attendant just left.

"Would you like me to show you where your room is?" she asks stiffly.

"Sure," I respond, just as stiff. She leads me down a hall, in another section of the train and points to a door on the left.

"You know, when I was on the train going to the Capitol, that was my room." That is the only time she has ever spoken to me about her own experiences in the Hunger Games.

"Finn's room is next door and ours is across the hall," she said snapping out of her memory mode. Annoyed, I step inside the doors. My jaw drops. As big as our house is, this is amazing.

A huge bed sits in the middle of the room pressed up against one wall nightstands are on both sides. I run my hand over the wood. _Mahogany_ I think. There is a gigantic dresser opposite the bed. I open one of the drawers. Inside of that particular drawer are socks. Rainbow socks, thin socks, knee-high socks, purple socks, orange socks, wool socks, fleece socks, silk socks. If you think of the craziest kind of sock, it is in that drawer. And all of the socks are in my size.

I open another drawer and it is the same absurd amount of clothing, except it is full of pajamas. Another is full of under garments and another full of tank tops. I march over to the closet, which is right of the bed and open it. Elegant clothes and dresses and scarves and shirts and pants of every color, every fabric, every style are neatly lined up inside. Shoes have been placed at the bottom organized by color. It looks like a rainbow of shoes. We are actually stopping in the Capitol before we go to District 14. There is going to be a fancy banquet ball type thing at President Thomas's mansion. So I suppose that's what all of these clothes are for. An attendant comes back with paper and a pencil.

"Here you go," he says.

"Thank you," I reply. He hesitates a moment and then leaves. I set the paper and pencil down of the dresser and enter the door to the left of it. A bathroom envelops me. To my very left is a sink, and then a little further there is a toilet. A medicine cabinet is above it and the whole other side is a shower.

On the shower there is a panel with what looks like controls the temperature and all kinds of soaps and shampoos and conditioners. I hear a knock on my door. I open it to see a crazy looking Ellie Trinket, who is Effie's daughter. Her latest wig is a deep purple.

"Dinner is ready!" she perkily says.

"I'm on my way," I reply. I follow her out of the door and down the hall, stopping at Finn's room to tell him that dinner's ready. We are a little train of people walking down the hall. Katniss and Dad are already there when we get there. We take our places at the table and are immediately served. I start to fork all of these delicacies into my mouth, slowly but carefully. Finn is picking at a roll, dipping it in his hot chocolate like Dad does.

After dinner is over, Finn and I make our way back to the rooms. I drop him off at his room, promising that I will tuck him in later. I reach my room and let myself in. I directly go to my bathroom and take off all my clothes. I enter the shower and hit the "on" button on the panel. I entertain myself with bursting different thick soaps on me. I lather myself in a dark green soap that smells like evergreens. I turn off the shower and step out on to the pink fluffy rug, which blasts me with air, drying my skin and hair. I run my hand through my deep brown locks. There are absolutely no knots at all. I sift through my drawer full if pajamas and find a nice pair of turquoise silk ones. I slip those over my now dry skin and rush out of the room.

When I get to Finn's room, he is all tucked into bed. His grey eyes light up when he sees me.

"Hey, Little Man, you ready for bed?" I ask.

"Yup," he replies and I make sure the covers are all snug around his little body. I kiss his forehead and whisper goodnight. I walk out and quietly close the door behind me.

I make it back to my room and I slide under the covers with my paper and pencil and begin to write.

**A/N – I hope that was a good cliffhanger! I may update soon, but my friends are visiting, so I will be swimming and having fun! Sorry for the bad indentations, but until I can figure out why it transfers like that from my iPod to my computer you guys will have to suffer through the grammatical errors! Keep reading and reviewing!**

**~Runaway Baby's sister**


	6. AN from RunawayBaby

Hey all you readers!

This is RunawayBaby and I have an announcement.

I am changing my username to ... . !

So yeah,

Bye?


	7. Chapter 6

**A/N - I'm such a bad author! I am soo sorry that I haven't updated in a while. We went on another road trip. It was fun! We got to go to Ben & Jerry's factory in Waterbury, Vermont. So here is... Chapter 6!  
-Runaway . 's sister **

**P.S. Try to catch the Katniss/HG movie\reference**

Chapter 6

- Get backpack.  
- Get weaponry  
- Get water (lots)  
- Get food (maybe steal from Capitol?)  
- Get map of surrounding land (lie: it's for a school project)  
- Extra clothes  
- Get partner... maybe

I read over my list. I will need all of this, plus extreme knowledge and reflexes. I push that list into the second drawer on the left nightstand. I stand up and stretch my arms and back. I don't know what Dad's going to think about this. I wonder if he will miss me or if he will search for me. I hope that he doesn't search for me, but he would be a good partner. I walk a couple steps back, and then attempt to jump over the queen-sized bed. I fly through the air then land with my left leg caught in the sheets. My other foot makes an incredibly loud thumping noise. My mother flies through the door like her hair was on fire.

"What was that?" she exclaims. I gesture to the position that I am in.

"What do you think happened?"

"Oh," she says, kind of defeated, "Well, goodnight, then." she turns around quickly and then exits the room. I have to use both hands to free my leg from the covers. I grab the piece of paper, wrinkling it slightly. I smooth it out on my thigh. I pick up my pencil and add to my list:  
- Get partner... maybe (Dad?)

I shove the piece of paper back into the drawer and walk back over to the other side of the bed. On the nightstand on that side, there is a funny looking contraption. It has a little gray box with a black lever. On the box, there is a chart with numbers and words. I think that has to do with the number of times you crank it. I crank in once. Instead of the leafy landscape pushing past us, it is the Capitol skyline. I push that lever again, and again. The landscape goes to a beach then a desert. The really cool thing about this is that when you are in the landscape, it sounds the same and feels, too. In example I am roasting my behind of sitting here in a room looking out over the desert. I change it again. I'm on the moon. Crank. A farm with pigs. Crank. The Artic. Crank. A forest with a small pond. Crank. Big mountains with a smoky tint. I stop for a second. I pull the lever to the left instead of the right. The forest appears in my window, smoky and lush just like I remember. The pond has katniss in it too. Just like home. I punch a button on the box labeled, "Real." The landscape changes back to the land moving quickly, back to reality. _Real_ I think. _Yup, back to darn old reality_. The train lurches to a stop. I look out the window. We have appeared to have stopped in a pine forest. _District 7_ I think. I hear the doors hiss open with the steam it is probably emitting. I sit on my bed, staring at the frozen landscape. That is how I feel, frozen in time. My future feels in hands of a conductor, as if I was a train. Although now, they have no conductors. It's remote controlled. A knock on the door snaps me back into reality for the second time in the past 5 minutes. Johanna bursts in.

"Finally!" she exclaimed. "It took me forever to find my room."

"Your room! This is my room." I stare back at her; her long brown hair now has streaks of silver.

We both turn towards the door and holler, "Attendant!" at the top of our lungs. A Capitol attendant bursts in.

"Yes," he says.

" I believe we have been assigned the same room," I calmly say.

"Ah, yes. You two were assigned the same room because this particular train did not have enough rooms." Johanna starts yelling at him, about why they couldn't bring in another train, or add another car. I massage my temples and grab a blanket and a pillow from the top self of the closet and lay it on the floor next to the window. I walk back over to the attendant, now looking frazzled from Johanna's yells. I push him=m out the door, muttering something about bedtime. I lay down on the floor, apparently my "new" bed and fall asleep.

I wake up a few times in the night from the train stopping to pick up more victors. When I wake up, believing that it's morning the sun is streaming through the windows, I look at the clock: 7:08. The train is slowly coming to a stop in the station. We are in the Capitol.

**A/N – Sorry so short. I probably will not update very frequently, but I might get another one in by next week. Btw, don't expect this story to be super long. It will probably be short chapters as well. I want to get her in District 14 before August 10. PM me if I haven't updated in a while. My sister will deliver the message. Thanks! Read and review! **

** . 's sister**


	8. Chapter 7

**A/N - I am going to try to update more, maybe once a day? I am going back to school soon, so I may update more or less depending how much homework I have. Here is Chapter 7! Read and Review!**

**Chapter 7**

We are in the Capitol. I am not ready. I run into the bathroom, after making sure that Johanna is still asleep. I burst into the shower messing with the panel until I find a comfortable temperature. I towel myself dry and braid my hair back. I hate having my hair in my face. It blocks my peripheral vision. Not good for hunting. I slide the door open, trying not to wake my snoring roommate. I hope we don't have to share the same room again. I walk down the stationary train into the dining car. I grab a cup of hot chocolate and a warm roll. I start breaking up the roll and dipping it in the cocoa. It tastes so good. Even though we are Victors, we don't live in the lap of luxury. We are well fed. I bring in fresh game every couple of days. Katniss doesn't know, of course. Dad just tells me to be careful when I hunt. I always am. I am silent in the forest. Even the bugs don't bother me. Dad likes that we don't have to pay, but he worries that I will get hurt and nobody will ever find me. He has always had complete faith, but he worries a lot. I guess those are dads for you.

I make my way out of the train and walk down the streets of the Capitol. I am utterly shocked by what I see. Instead of the hungry citizens on the street (the only reason I have a pocket of money), there are lavishly dressed people. They look well fed. They look completely different from what they show us in school. They look rich. I walk into a pastry shop. The bell on the door jingles, signaling that I am here.

"One chocolate donut, please," I ask. The shop is filled with all kinds of chocolates and cupcakes and delicacies that no one in District 12 would ever think of seeing, none the less eating. The man hands me a donut, wrapped in a napkin. He stares at me for a second as I start drooling over the donut. He says, "You don't look like you're from around here are you."

"That's because I'm not," I reply, not giving him any clues that I am a Victor's daughter. That is almost the highest honor in the Capitol. Well, it was before. I guess it is now, too. The bell jingles again.

"One second," the man says and goes to tend to a customer. I glance around the shop. It is a pretty simple design with a couple of tables and chairs in the corners. There is a glass case in the front. And a little door on the left. It's labeled employees only. My heart immediately begins to race. I slip behind the counter, all of my forest training paying off. I jiggle the door. It's locked. Luckily, I have a solution. I slip a bobby pin out of my hair and stick it in the lock. I rock it around the lock until I hear a click. I have been picking locks since I was 6. I glance at the man who is gutting slightly irritated by a troublesome customer. I enter the room.

It is small, but I can fit comfortably in it. It is full of all the victors of every Hunger Games there ever were. I can see Katniss and Dad, Finnick and Annie, and Johanna. Why would this man have these pictures. On one wall there is a big pie graph. It shows the number of victors from each district. The purple section for District One fills about 1/3 and District 2 is the same, filling about 2/3. District 4 is about half of the remaining section. The rest is a little rainbow for all of the other districts. I hear a key being inserted in the lock. I push my body up against the wall, trying not to be seen. The man walks in his grey hair noticable in the darkness of the room. He pulls a string hanging from the top of the ceiling. It turns on a bare bulb. He looks past all of his pictures, directly at me.

"Primrose Rue Mellark. I never thought I would have the pleasure of meeting you," he quietly says. I should be scared, but I am kind of paralyzed from his deep voice and the shock of him knowing my name.

"I never thought both of your parents would win. She is very cunning, that mother of yours. And your father, so sweet and caring. When I had learned, after the rebellion, that they had conceived a baby girl, I was shocked. Even more shocked when I found out the name. I figure you don't like it here. You find it unnatural and disgusting. I feel the same way. This room is dedicated to the Victors and against the Capitol. I am very surprised that you found your way in here, but I am not shocked. I figure you hunt in the woods of District 12 just like your mother. Am I correct?" I respond with a slight nod.

"I thought so. I expect you are very skilled with the bow and arrow." Another tiny nod from me.

"You are in the Capitol because of the ball. There will be a punch there. On the table on the right side of the room. Do not drink it. It contains a poison that will be used to seduce your parents." I glance at him. _Why would they do that? _I think.

"I bet you are wondering why they would do that. You may not know this, but many of our Victors are... sold. To the people of the Capitol. They buy them for a night and are free to do whatever they want with them. You may have heard one Finnick Odair talking about this from the bunker in District 13. He along with Johanna Mason were sold. But so many others were to. If they can seduce your parents, they will have full control of them. They could do some bad thing to them. You must not let them drink that punch." He opens the door, excusing me. He slips a wrapped caramel in my pocket.

"Be careful, Primrose Rue Mellark." I sneak out of the shop, still puzzled by my encounter with the man. I arrive back at the train station and walk back to my room. I creak open the door, not wanting to wait Johanna. I feel differently about her. A little pity maybe, but lots more respect. I enter the room. I see Finn sitting next to Johanna on the bed.

"Rue!" Finn shouts. "I came in here trying to find you, but you weren't here! I started talking to Ms. Mason. She is very kind. She ordered us hot chocolate. It was delicious!" Finn always has so much energy.

"Cool." I respond.

"Where were you?" leers Johanna.

"I went to take a walk. Does anyone know when the prep team will be here to ready us for the ball?" I ask.

"They should be here," Johanna comments.

"Finn, why don't you go see if Mommy and Daddy are awake?" I want him to be out of the room so I can talk to Johanna. I really trust her now.

"Ok!" He leaps up off the bed and bursts out the door. I can hear his footsteps down the hall and I hear a knock on a door. I turn to face Johanna.

"So, " she says. "Where were you?" I sit on the edge of the bed and tell Johanna about the man, the room, and the punch. She remains quiet while I talk to her. When I finish, I can see her trying to put together the pieces of this puzzle. She opens her mouth, about to tell me something when the prep team bursts in. They start chattering, like annoying squirrels and I get pulled into the bathroom. After being pruned and plucked, and polished and shaped, and kneaded and needing a massadge, Leo comes in, holding a garment bag. I wonder what marvelous creation he has in it. He examines me from all angles, then excuses the prep team from the room. He hugs me.

"Hard trip?" I nod. He is different from the rest of the Capitol. He doesn't have weird tatoo or a unnatural hair color. The only trace is a little blue eyeliner, which accents his blue eyes. He has sandy, ruffled blond hair. We talk for a little then he says, "Do you want to see your dress?"

"Yes!" I love his creations. They are so magical. He unzips it revealing blue fabric. I lean in curious, but he zips it back up. He says, "Close your eyes." I do that. I feel silky fabric embrace my body. I open my eyes. I am engulfed is a dark blue strapless dress. The best part is the sparkles. They are minimal at the top, but as they travel down the dress the multiply. I look like am a star. My hair has been elegantly piled on my head, held in place by a silver clip. I look perfect and beautiful. I look a Leo, a thousand thanks in my eyes. He has pride in his eyes.

"Thank you." I whisper.

"You are so very welcome." I exit the bathroom to see a fiery Johanna in a brilliant green dress.

"Shall we?" she chokes out.

"Sure..." I reply scared.

We make our way down the hall and into the limo, that will take us to President Thomas's mansion. We arrive and the President greets us, kissing our hands, commenting on the dresses. The ball goes by in a blur. I mostly hang out with Johanna and Nixie, who is dressed in a blue dress that appears to be rippling every time she move. I do see Finn, looking very handsome in a grey suit, the same color as his eyes.. I tell everyone I know about the punch. I walk back to the train at 1:30. The breeze is so cold and strong it almost knocks me over. I shiver, not because of the cold, but because it reminds me of the day when they announced the moving of the Victors to District 14.

"Cold?" I whip around so fast my hair falls out of its elaborate hair do. A young man, about my age, is behind me, dressed in a tux. He has auburn hair and beautiful sea green eyes. I can see the muscles hidden by the suit, covered, but still visible. Another gust knocks me out of my dream and my now down hair rustles in the wind. It falls in soft waves down to my waist. The boy is taking off his jacket. He draps it around my shoulders. It is still warm from being on him.

"Thank you," I murmur, my voice almost lost in the wind. We begin talking and I learn that he is Ben Winters, the son of one of the less known Victors of District 4. He walks me back to my room and kisses my lightly one the cheek. I blush and my hand shoots up to the spot where he kissed me. I go into my room and flop on the bed. _Why did he kiss me we just met?_ But if he felt the way I did then we were meant to be.

**A/N - I think I might abandon this story...Please convince me not to. I know that sounds really stupid, but please.**  
** R&R**


	9. Note

Hey! Just wanted to let you know there is a poll up on the profile,regarding this story! It would mean a lot if you would let me know your opinion!

Thanks!


	10. Chapter 8

**A/N - Thanks for reading! R&R! There is a poll I made: Who should Prim run away with? It is on my profile.**

**Chapter 8**

"Rise and Shine!" a voice burns my ears. "Prim! Wake up!" A rough hand pulls the covers off of my chilled body. I peak open one eye. Johanna is standing over me, the smirk just rising on her face.

"Come on! Your parents are yelling at me!" she stomps her foot.

"Ok, why are they yelling?" My voice sounds like I ate a toad covered in feathers.

"Because apparently, because we share a room. And that gives me total power over you."

"Fine, leave so I can change." She laughs.

"Haha! NO! We do have a bathroom, you know." I roll my eyes.

"Thanks, MOM." I grab a pair of jean shorts, a brown shirt, and my swimsuit. I leap out of the bathroom. Only in the swimsuit. I am holding the other clothes.

"Wait,Wait! Where are you going?" She sound genuinely concerned.

"Bye!" I wrench open the door and take off down the hall. I can hear Johanna yelling at me she is running behind me. Luckily, I am about 25 years younger than her, so I am way faster. There is a door at the end of the hall. I open it and start climbing stairs. Knees to chest! Knees to Chest! I hear her barefoot feet hitting each metal step. I get to a landing. I open that door, throw my clothes down and leap into the clear, blue, clorine-full pool. The splash echoes in the plain room. I lurk under the water. I hear the door open. I try to calm my beating heart. The entire pool lurches, causing ripples up and down my back.

"Prim?! Where are you? Come out, come out, wherever you are?" Johanna's voice drifts across the water. I expect the train is now taking us to District 14. I hear another splash and Johanna is next to me in the water, in her undergarments.

"Found you know didn't I?" she laughs right in my face. I cock an eyebrow then dive under the water and swim out to the deep end. I push-off the wall and start swimming. I'm about halfway across the pool when I realize Johanna is right next to me.

"You know you can't hide in water right?" she smirks at me.

"I can try, can't I?" I reply, mysteriously.

"Whatever." She turns on her back and kicks her feet. I cough on the water. I find my way up to the diving board. I bounce a few times, then launch myself into the air completing one and a half turns in a flip and diving into the water.

"How was that?" I smirk.

"I can do better," Johanna replies, confident.

"Ok, then lets see it." She gets up on the diving board and jumps on the springs. She takes off into the air, landing in a painful belly flop. After I stop laughing at that atrocious attempt at a dive. I towel off and put on real clothes. Johanna steals my towel and dries herself on and puts her clothes back on. We race back down the bland halls, filling them with our laughter and smiles. A few people poke their heads out of the rooms, their hair in curlers and in nightgowns. I find that incredibly hilarious and laugh harder. We get back to the room. Finn is in there pacing around like he is fifty, rather than eight. He storms over to me and points at a single grey hair, hard to see against the contrast of his blond hair.

"You see this?! This is your fault! I have been worried sick! Why are you wet?" he says now curious, rather that enraged.

"Jo and I decided to take a little swim. Nothing to worry about." I hear a knock on the door and a frazzled looking Katniss comes in.

"Oh, Finn there you are. You can't just run away like that." She pulls him out of the room. She stops in the doorway.

"Oh how are you doing, Johanna?" She walks out of the room, not even waiting for an answer. The train manager comes in.

"We will arrive in District 14 in about a half an hour." He says.

"Thank you," Jo says, then pushes him out of the room.

I make myself busy for the next 30 minutes. I eat breakfast, change my clothes, take a shower, and by the time I'm done with all that we are in District 14. I arrive at my new house and start scrambling around for everything.A compass, a map, my hunting jacket, my bow and arrows, my throwing knives, some dried fruit and nuts. I snatched an extra pair of clothing. I grabbed a backpack and shoved everything in. I stole a purifier, that I found after searching every cabinet. I took a bottle of water and walked out of the house, water in my hand and backpack on my shoulders. District 14 was really beautiful, these huge pine trees were magnificent. I had made it to the edge of the forest and was about to crawl under the fence when I heard.

"Where are you going, Rue?"

"Yeah, where _are_ you going?" It was Finn and Nixie. My eyes widened.

"I'm going.. going.. Hunting. That is what I'm doing." I stutter. It will not work, Finn knows me better than anyone.

"Then why is your hunting bag larger than normal?" He asks. I spin around and kneel by him.

"Look Finn, I have to tell you this. I am running away." He gasps.

"No you can't! I need you."

"Finn, try to understand, Mom and Dad both need _you_. I have to leave." Finn gets it, he probably won't question me any more. I turn to my golden-haired friend.

"Prim, I'm coming." she says, determined.

"You can't, either. Your mom would freak out if she lost you. You have to be there for her." Nixie hugs me and whispers, "Good bye." Finn squeezes me, as hard as he can.

"Good by Primrose Rue."

"Goodbye Finnick Cinna."

I turn to leave. I put three fingers up in salute, like Katniss did for Rue. Then, I disappear into the forest.

**A/N - Ok, so she will start alone, but you can still vote fro who you want her to meet up with. Hopefully I will write again before school starts.** **Sorry that it is rushed. I wanted to get her into the forest. Thanks for reading!**


	11. Chapter 9

**Chapter**** 9**

The lush forest greets me as I find a rock to sit on. I pull out the map. It looks like there is a stream about 10 miles northeast. I pull out my compass. I direct myself northeast and start walking and pushing myself through the underbrush.

_I wonder what Finn is doing right now. I wonder how Annie is. I miss everyone. Especially Jo. She is so... Johanna-y. She always smirks at you and has comebacks for everything. OW! _

A prick on my leg snaps me out of my thoughts. I slowly examine the bush. It looks like a raspberry bush, but I'm not sure. I see a fruit. I pluck it off the bush. I stare at it. That is defiantly a raspberry. I put it in my mouth, slowly chewing it, examining the flavors. I notice some other berries on the bush. I rush over to a maple and grab the largest leaf I can find. I gather berries to seat on my walk. I begin once again.

_Oh, these trees are so pretty! The big oaks are huge! I wonder if there will be a little clearing by the stream. I could set up camp there for a couple nights. I wonder how long I will stay out here. Myabe forever. That would be ok. I like it here. Plus, there is a whole forest full of plants and animals I can use to make medicine and food. Maybe I could build a cabin out of logs. There are certainly enough trees. But, I'm not sure how to cut them down. Oh yeah! In the 56th Hunger Games, that girl from 5 made an axe out of a rock and a stick. She sharpened the rock with another rock and tied it to the stick using vines. I could do that. That would be easy. I could also make a spear out of an arrowhead and a stick. I could also make another bow and more arrows. That would be nice. But it will take me a very long time to make another arrow. _

After a few hours of walking, I reach the stream. It is rushing water, cold and beautiful. I can see the fish flopping around in it. I fill up my water bottle. I look around. The clearing surrounds the stream. I find a nice rock, stick and other rock and get to work building my axe. It time it is finished. I tie it off using a difficult knot Nixie taught me. She would make nets for the fishermen in District 4. She inherited that from her father. I find a tree and start chopping. After about 30 minites, there are around 6 trees on the ground. I split one open. It is rough and jagged on the inside. If that is going to go on the inside of the house I want it to be smoother. I could use sand paper if I had some. Or... I could make some. I take a leaf from a tree and rub some pitch(sap) on it. Then, I grab a handful of sand from the river and smear it onto the pitch so it sticks. Perfect! Instant Sandpaper. I start bilding. It is hard to build without any screws or nails, but if I make notches in the logs, then the other logs with fit perfectly into them. I grab my axe and make my way to a log. I gently tap it into the tree. It makes a small hole. I continue until I have a nice notch. I do the same to the other half of that log and it fits perfectly. Because this will be the bottom layer of this cabin, I tie it off with vine. I work all day until the sun goes down and the sky is lit up with oranges and reds. I remember the old saying, "Red sky at night, sailor's delight. Red sky at morn, sailor's take worn." Well, since the sky is red at night, I know I will have another nice day tomorrow. I want to finish this cabin before the first frost. Right know it is only September, but the weathermen were saying that we were going to have an early frost this year. I curl up on the moss near the river and fall into a deep dreamless sleep.

I wake up as the sky lights up. I have another idea for the house. I start gathering river rocks. I make a paste out of pitch and mud. My stomach growels warning me that I haven't eaten yet, so I grab some food from my pack that I brought with me. I'm not afraid to eat this because I can always hunt if I need to. I grab my axe and go to the logs in a rectangle on the ground and cut and whole right in the middle of one. I use that to make a board that fins in the hole. Then, I grab the paste and smear it of the rock and place it on the log. I continue this all day, eating berries and leaves for lunch, and rabbit for dinner. I fall asleep with the sun.

Imedietly after I wake up, I can tell the frost is near. The air is brisk and I feel chilled. It has been about 2 monthes since I've been here and the cabin is almost complete. I scurry up the wobly ladder I made and started placing more board on the roof in a slanting pattern. If they are not slanted, the snow will pile up and will make the roof cave in. I place the last board. I have been using nails that I found in a sack a couple miles west. I found them when I was hunting. I go over to the other side of the roof and smear more pitch and mud on the finishing touches of my chimney. I walk around the perimiter of the cabin, sealing cracks with mud. The only things I don't have is windows and doors. I think I will sneak back into 14 to get those. I put logs in the house, so if it does frost they won't be ruined. I really need to build a woodshack. I planned to sneak into District 14 tomorrow. I gather meat that I have been drying for winter and my bow and arrows and fell asleep in expectation of tomorrow.

As soon as I wake up, I begin walking. I reach the edge of the forest just as the sun is setting. I walked a lot faster than I thought. Well, I have been working all day every day. I guess my stamina is better than I thought. I find a nice log to sit on and eat my meat, the flavora of rosemary drifting over my mouth. I found a rosemary bush by the cabin and that has been my main seasoning. A couple hours after dark, I sneak under the fence. I dart into the main marketplace an leap into te hardware store. I grab four glass panes that should fit my windows. I also grab hinges and screws and a screwdriver, but not electric. I slide out of an open window. I see a food place so I dart inside. I see sacks of salt, sugar and flour. I imedetly snatch them up andrunning out my hands full of goods. I stop in my tracks as soon as I exit the shop. A human silhouette caused this. It was short. The person looked out into the woods expectetly. I can tell the person can tell I am here. His head snaps around revealing baggy eyes and a very skinny body. He has blond hair and stormy grey eyes. He looks like he hasn't slept for weeks. Our eyes meet, blue to grey.

"Rue!" His voice is hoarse. I realize who it is and I get bombarWith with a massive hug.

"Finn," I whisper into his hair. "I've missed you so much."

"I haven't sleeped since you left."

"Well, I'm fine now so you can sleep" I say. "I really should get going. I want to be back before sunrise."

"Back where?"Finn questions.

"Does it matter? Because a little guy named Finn needs to sleep."I turn to leave.

"No!You can't leave me! I will die. I have to be with you!" he shouts.

"Shh! You need to be quiet. Noone can know I am here. " he looks at theWindows's and sacks in my hands.

"What's all that for?"

"Ooh well I built this cabin."I start, going to tell him everything when I stop. "Look Finn. It was really nice to see you againbut I need to get home. "

"But Rue," he says, his voice small. "This is your home. "

"Not anymore," I tell him. "Goodbye Finn."

"No!"

"No what?"

"No, I'm not lettin you leave without me."

"Sorry bud you can't do that. The forest is a dangerous place."

"So it's ok for you to be in there but bit me?"

"I have been planning for years to run away."

"But you taught me everything you know about the outdoors."

"Fine, you can go, now let's get out of here." Wesnake out into the forest as the blues and pinks and oranges fill the sky. A new day. A new beginning.

**A/N- Sorry for all the mistakes, i did this in my iPod. Well, Finn did win the poll and I think I will have another person come into the story so keepvisitiing the poll on my profile. Thanks!**


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